Shepherd of Love
One of my special girlfriends lives in Jerusalem. The threat of war, suicide bombings and unabated violence and hatred demand from her an extraordinary measure of faith in God. She shared this precious faith experience with me one day. I have discovered a lot about myself. God has helped me through anger, shame, guilt and fear. As of today, I have received a major victory in each of these areas. I have a strange sense of God’s peace and protection that I can’t explain. I truly believe God has brought me to total trust and faith. This is something I have never had before. My life was controlled by feelings and not by faith. My past behavior was based on nothing but feelings. However, now I know a deep abiding faith that is based on trust.
This hasn’t been an easy path but one of learning and adventure. I want to share an experience of a lady in my monthly prayer group. She lives on the border of Bethlehem, which has had some heavy fighting during the last several years. One night she looked out over the valley and heard gunfire and explosions. When she glanced down into the valley from her apartment window, she saw a shepherd calmly tending his sheep. With tears in her eyes she said, “you could see he was talking to his sheep; and every time the gunfire would sound, the alarmed sheep would scatter.” What happened next was the beginning of the life change for me.
My Israeli friend said that as the sheep scattered, the shepherd would simply take his staff and lightly touch each sheep and they would once again come into the fold. Our group began to weep. I read aloud from the 23rd Psalm, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
This is a beautiful picture of God’s comforting peace in the time of storm. He is the Good Shepherd. He is the one who has promised to prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Our loving Father is the one who has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. He is the shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. What a consolation!
Interestingly, my friend’s story took place in Bethlehem, where David, the shepherd boy was quite familiar with sheep, since they were his trade. He later described the journey of Moses and the children of Israel with these words: “But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not” (Ps. 78:52-53, KJV). Whatever you are facing today, you have no reason to fear, for your Good Shepherd will gently direct your path.
Every shepherd knows his sheep by name. Notice that when the sheep began to stray from fear and distractions, the shepherd would tap them on their backs and no doubt speak their names, thus getting their attention. Once he diverted their attention from wandering, they would return to the fold. Believe it or not, even when we are fearful or distracted, Jesus is near to calm us with His gentle touch. If there is upheavel in your life today it is proof positive that the Good Shepherd is gently handling your life; the Potter’s tender hands are shaping you into the image of Christ! In The Message, Eugene Peterson writes in Romans 8:
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, eh stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
The Lord is shepherding you today. Fears may rise up, discouragement might overtake your heart and trouble might cause you concern; but the Good Shepherd is always near to keep you close to the fold. Come close to Jesus right now, won’t you?
Source: This message is written by Sis. Alice Smith ( www.EddieAndAlice.com ) and published with permission from the Author. Alice & Eddie Smith are conducting ‘Marketplace Prayer/Evangelism Workshops’ across US cities.
Whenever you sin
Life is an amazing gift of God. It is a privilege to spend each day on this beautiful world created by an awesome God. When He created the world, He saw everything was good. Adam and Eve were given all the authority to rule over the whole world. They had the uninterrupted fellowship of God all the time. It is so glorious to think of such an experience. My imagination makes me to leap in joy whenever I dream of such a fascinating state of life. We all desire to have such a world. But, alas! Adam and Eve lost it tosatan.
I believe the greatest mistake that Adam and Eve committed was hiding their sin and running away from the presence of God. We can be sure that if they had confessed their sin, our great God would have forgiven them. But, they did not do it. This made God angry and He cut His fellowship with them and with all of us. It was like surrendering to satan by forgetting God. What a shame?
This is true even today when we turn away from God whenever we sin. But, as children of the most high God, we have the wonderful privilege of going back to God in repentance. This was made possible by the great sacrifice that our loving Lord Jesus gifted us by dying on the cross. 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”.. What a comfort we can draw out of this beautiful verse.
Sin is terrible, and continuing to live in sin without repentance is even disastrous. God knows all our weaknesses. He can understand all our temptations because He was tempted in the same way like us and yet was without sin. May be we have sinned too much, but when we truly repent and confess our sins, God cleanses us and forgives us in a whisker. The Bible says in Psalms 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”.
It is a wonderful feeling to leave all the burden of guilt at the throne of grace and receive forgiveness. If some of you happened to read this, I believe God is speaking to you personally to get into the presence of God and confess your sins. It may be anything, may be the ugliest sin. We may think that if others come to know of this they may spit on us. But, don’t worry, the one who is inside us is greater than anyone in the world. He says that he will forgive all our sins. We can walk with our heads held high if we don’t run away from God.
Never make the mistake that Adam and Eve did. Let us be people who fear God out of love. We are all vessels molded by the great potter. He knows those little rough particles in us. All that He expects is that we call on Him for help!. Remember that “whenever sin abounds, grace abounds much more”. Don’t get me wrong here as this is not a license to sin. I want to reach out to all of us who are broken because of sin in our life and apply the balm of the love of Jesus on our wounded hearts so that we are healed.
Thanks,
Brucelin
Testimony @ Work
He was signed by Real Madrid for 60 million Euros!!!, he plays for Brasil. He is one of the fearsome forwards of the current football world…yes, I’m talking of Kaka. The magnificent player from Brasil. I have seen and loved Brazilian football since the 80s and they are my favourite football team. I have seen them win 2 world cups and many more laurels. But what I saw in their last world cup victory, made me stand up and take notice of their testimony @ work.
After their victory, many took off their jerseys and they had these words ‘ I belong to Jesus’. They knelt and prayed on the field, they worshipped on the field. The same thing happened in their recent confederations cup final win. They prayed on the field, worshipped on the field with billions watching around the world!!!. What a testimony at work. Do we need to say more?.
After the match, in the interview on the field, Brazilian skipper Lucio said something in his native language pointing the words on his T shirt, which read ‘I Love Jesus’.
Are we able to be as a testimony like this in our work place?. It is not necessary that we need to wear such T Shirts to our workplace and only they can communicate our testimony. It is about what our life communicates about Jesus to others. Are we true to what the Lord wants us to practice in the work place?. It is not enough to be holy on Sundays, we need to live it right through our work and be a testimony in all that we do at the work place.
We have a mission at our work place. We are there for a purpose. That is our mission field. We are in a place where the church cannot come in. We are in front of people, who may not know Jesus and will not come to any gospel meeting. You take a deeper look and everyone is in need. Do they know the truth?. The truth which will set them free as per John 8:32.
Do you pray for people whom you come across in your work place and do you look for a chance to share the gospel with them?.Doesn’t your way of life make them question and there by provide you an opportunity to share the gospel?. Please have a look at your life and have a check whether you are reflecting Christ in all that you do at the workplace.
Your life may be the only Bible others get to read
(The Author – Rajiv R G (Rajiv Rajamoni George) is a CIO with an IT MNC in Chennai)
Decision to Determination
When the Israelites were under the Roman regime, the Romans made use of the opportunity and enslaved them in every way they could. One of the many means they employed slavery was ‘tax’. They extracted every pie in the name of tax. Since it was a blatant misuse of power they employed ruthless inconsiderate tax collectors who usurped hard earned money from the Jews. The Jews hated the tax collectors and generally referred them as ‘sinners’.
On the other hand, the tax collectors had a ball of their life time. Since they had power and authority with fear of people, they grew rich. Most of the money they snatched from the people didn’t reach the government but filled their own pockets. The Jews became accustomed to paying tax without questioning fearing whipping and thumping on refusal.
Among the tax collectors, the Bible talks about one Chief tax collector in Luke 19 who was very rich, had authority and earned the fear of people on him. One thing he lacked was that he was short unlike the other tough, muscular tax collectors. Zacchaeus, though being a sinner (Chief sinner in his case!) he had an urge to see Jesus(v3). I love that part than all the others…He wanted to see Jesus!
The street in Jericho was swarming with people. Everyone was eager for Jesus’ arrival. It was like the whole of Jericho squeezed into a street. Not an inch of space was available. Every single spot was occupied and everyone was waiting for that moment for Jesus to enter. Zacchaeus arrived just in time and found that he wouldn’t be able to see Jesus because of the crowd. He would have certainly tried to squeeze himself into the crowd to reach for the front row so that he could get a glimpse of Jesus. But the tall sturdy Jews wouldn’t let him in because of their hatred towards tax collectors.
This is the most important part…though Zacchaeus took a decision to see Jesus, the circumstances didn’t allow him to do that. Remember Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, a person of high state in the government. All he could do was to humble himself to a point where he could himself come and see Jesus. But as things around him didn’t seem to help him by anyway, it would have been a perfectly valid resort to backup and head home. He could later use his power and authority to bring Jesus to his home!
This is where Zacchaeus stands out…the reason why his name is mentioned in the Bible is because circumstances didn’t matter to him. At that moment, his decision became his determination. He was determined to see Jesus whatever it may cost! He spotted a tree and climbed on it. Could you imagine a Chief tax collector climbing a tree? Yes, when you are determined to see Jesus, you would dare to at any cost. My Jesus can never forsake a yearning heart. Among the thousands gathered there, Jesus stopped by that tree, looked up and called him by name, “Zacchaeus, you come down from there. I want to stay at your house today” (v5)
Later, when Jesus entered his home, true salvation came and Zacchaeus gave half of his property to the poor and returned four times what he usurped from the people (v8).
Today we may have been a Christian for a pretty long time now. Every time we decide to seek Jesus we falter on the way due to circumstances. Generally these circumstances are so genuine that we justify ourselves and compromise. It is only when we determine, take a stand to see Jesus at any cost, we would see His face and He would stop by, call us by name and walk into our homes. That is true salvation.
Lord Jesus, help me to have a determined heart to seek you. Whatever may hinder, let me determine to see you alone. Amen
Road of Disappointment or??
It was a journey of seven miles. But it seemed like 70 miles for the two. That was because they were disappointed and their hope was lost.
Haven’t you felt the same when you walked back to home after a failure? The road seems long. The path seems tough. You don’t run. You don’t even walk but you crawl. Yes the road of disappointment is long. When your only hope is crushed your walk seems tough.
That is what exactly happened to Cleopas and his friend as they walked along the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem.
Look at their face. They were sad and downcast.
Hear their words as they say “But we were hoping that it was He Who would redeem and set Israel free”
“They were hoping”. So now their hope is gone. So they started walking back to their old place from Jerusalem.
These two disciples were hoping that Jesus would save Israel, but when Jesus died, their Hope was gone. So from the protected, holy city of God, they walked down the path of disappointment to their old lives.
We all walk such road, isn’t it? One disappointment and we show our back to God. When our Hope is lost we start walking back the road of disappointment and we tend to go back to our old lives.
But this evening as I read this passage I saw what I didn’t see all these days.
As these disciples were walking back with shattered hope, they were not alone. Because the 15th verse tells us “Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them”.
Did you see that word? No? Ok one more chance…
Now read the sentence slowly
Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. (That word is highlighted!!)
Yes the Word is “Already”
Oh how wonderful is our Lord. He was already walking down the road of disappointment with them even before they saw him.
May be today the road that you are walking is tough, but remember He is “Already” walking with you. Not only He walked with them, but he changed their direction of journey. He changed their disappointing journey into a journey of Hope. Look at this verse “And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem”.
A few hours back they were walking away from Jerusalem, but after Jesus walked with them and talked with them they were walking towards Jerusalem.
A few hours back they were disappointed, but now they were filled with Hope.
Whatever may be the road you are traveling and whatever may be the distance you are away from the city of Hope, the One who walked still walks and the One who talked still talks. See Him and Hear Him. Your life won’t be the same again. Theirs weren’t.
Luke 24:15 And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. (Amplified Bible)
Luke 24:33 And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem… (Amplified Bible)